A Better Man Than He
by handschuhmaus
Summary: When John Galt and Dagny Taggart show up at Hogwarts, the Potions Master certainly has something to say about their mission. And how does Hermione fall into this? It's sort of a parody, but a serious one. Mention of or slight DT/SS, JG/HG, SS/HG


_I have the somewhat dubious honour of posting the first HP/Atlas Shrugged crossover fic, and possibly the first Atlas Shrugged fic on ff . net. As I note in the below original summary, I was inspired one day by a random reviewer (I believe to a HG/SS) who mistyped "Ron". It's been in progress for a while; now I think this is the first part. I'm afraid it does begin rather abruptly._

_Because I'm a bit paranoid with ratings, this has been rated T, due to a brief and seemingly random torture scene with the Cruciatus curse. It is not graphically described, and it probably shouldn't earn it a T rating, but I also think Atlas Shrugged is definitely T, and this rather darker than my K+ fics. Too, I, at least, usually read K-T fics fairly indiscriminately, paying only passing attention usually to the rating._

_The original summary, written for my own internal purposes, and archived here for posterity:_

"_There's a peculiar young woman come to Hogwarts lately, and also, for some reason, a strange man has taken over caretaking duties. This was inspired by a comment that "Ran" and Hermione aren't a good match. This is a blatant parody! DT/SS, one-sided; JG/HG, HG/SS"_

_The intro is vaguely crackish, and it then moves into a serious if in caricature disputation of the moral system of _Atlas Shrugged, _which is why it is classified as a "Spiritual". If you squint, a reference can be spotted to Enjolras of Les Misérables, but it's rather hard to see. (I could be coaxed to point it out… if you review!) There's hints of some HG/SS, but I really can't write it very well. _

_I am neither Rowling nor the late Rand, so I don't own anybody. I also did take the quote about Atlas directly from the book, although I believe it's actually in an exchange between Francisco d'Anconia and Henry Rearden. _

The new caretaker's only explanation for his presence? "Somebody told me that Dagny Taggart was going to take over this school and make it run properly in these crazy times while the looters are trying to take over."

"I don't know anything about running a school! I only know how to run a transcontinental railroad!" Dagny exclaimed indignantly, looking at the Potions Master admiringly, which disappointed John Galt. However, her admiring look was answered by an infuriated glare on the part of Snape.

"And though I do disagree with her, I figure perhaps it is best that I watch over her instead of returning to Galt's Gulch!" exclaimed Galt, who must have been made a bit crazy by all the magic around him, or maybe there'd been firewhiskey in his pumpkin juice this morning.

Hermione was rather upset that these strange characters had appeared and that the woman, who was dressed in rather old fashioned clothes, seemed to be in love with the Potions professor, who was _Hermione's _crush. Furthermore, the new caretaker… who she had to admit was far more charismatic and attractive than Filch had probably ever been, apparently found her, Hermione Granger, rather attractive, despite the fact that he also seemed to desire the strange woman.

This was a bit difficult, really.

"Would you please meet me in my office shortly, Granger, Galt… Miss Taggart?" Snape said as he billowed past them, curling his lip distastefully.

_Why me?_ Hermione thought.

When they arrived in the Potion Master's office a short while later, Galt was enthusiastically explaining that he was going to stop the motor of the world and thereby thwart the looters, or at least that seemed to be the gist. Even Hermione, who was far from laconic herself, was impressed at his degree of redundant prolixity.

"The looters?" asked Snape rather meanly.

"Well, y-es," said Dagny rather hesitantly. "You know with #10-289 and the anti-dog-eat-dog act?"

"10289…" repeated Hermione, musing. "Is that like 24601?"

Dagny looked a bit confused, and turned to the Potions Master for an explanation, but, seeing as Snape was either A) not at all acquainted with Les Misérables or B) had heard of it but did not have any reason to know Jean Valjean's prison number, he did not offer an explanation. Galt was still speaking in a low tone and making broad gestures.

"He isn't half obsessed with the sound of his own voice, is he?" the professor commented bitingly. The comment only made Hermione think about the voice that was speaking the words.

"Is this young lady in charge here?" Galt said, finally pausing in his speech.

"No, Miss Granger is _not _in a position of authority." Snape replied.

"I understand you're having a bit of a problem with a group that calls themselves the Death Eaters?" Dagny asked politely, although Hermione could see that she was studying Snape's hair and facial features.

"A _bit_ of a problem? That is a grave understatement, miss." Snape replied calmly as Dobby appeared with a tray of tea cups, and the professor set one in front of each person, or, at least, in Galt's case, since he had resumed his quiet ranting and pacing, on the corner of the desk on top of a… calculus text.

"Why is that?" asked Dagny, sipping her tea.

"They are attempting to murder Miss Granger's young friend, for one. There are many other atrocities they have committed or plan to commit."

Miss Taggart seemed disquieted. "Well…" she said, as if she were grasping at straws, "the looters are trying to choke off the world by wringing the rich."

"But your friend Galt says he's going to stop the motor of the world and thereby make Atlas shrug." Snape pointed out. "That doesn't sound half-detrimental to me."

"Who is John Galt?" said the lady, wearily.

Snape quirked an eyebrow, gave a slight smile, which Hermione eagerly watched, and motioned towards the figure.

"Why am I here?" Hermione asked suddenly, figuring it might be a good time to figure that out.

"This is not a time for existential questions!" exclaimed John Galt. "I have sworn to stop the motor of the world."

"No… I meant, why did you want me to come to your office, Professor? I don't know anything about Taggart Transcontinental." Hermione corrected.

Snape sighed and did not answer her question, instead opting to look Miss Taggart in the eye steadily and inquire "What is meant by asking who your friend is?"

"I'm sorry, it's just a common expression where we came from." Dagny answered him. "It usually isn't taken to mean anything—I just said it out of habit."

"What does it _mean?" _Hermione asked.

"It just… well, nobody _knew_ who Galt was, so it was just a pointless question. Nobody knew the answer, and nobody could know the answer." Miss Taggart took another nervous sip of tea and then pulled a packet of cigarettes out of her handbag. She looked around at the desk for a moment and then shyly asked "Do you mind if I smoke?"

"Actually," said the Potions Professor frigidly but quietly, "I do."

"Hmm?" asked Miss Taggart, who did not seem to have been expecting that response.

"I would prefer that you did not," elaborated Snape, who just then went up a notch in Hermione's estimation. Her parents, being dentists, worked their hardest to instill healthy habits in their daughter, and she did not like cigarette smoke at all.

"Oh," said Dagny, and replaced the pack in her purse, just as Hermione noticed that there was a strange insignia… a dollar sign… on the front of the plain packet, and nothing else on it. She reached out a hand, hoping to be able to examine the packet.

Miss Taggart looked a bit confused. "Miss… Granger, I believe the Professor just said that he would prefer us not to smoke."

"No, I just wondered about the dollar sign… what does it mean, and why isn't there anything else on the packet?"

"Oh… um…" Dagny seemed lost for words.

At this point, Galt stepped in. "If you saw Atlas, the giant who holds the world on his shoulders, if you saw that he stood, blood running down his chest, his knees buckling, his arms trembling but still trying to hold the world aloft with the last of his strength, and the greater his effort the heavier the world bore down upon his shoulders—what would you tell him to do?"

"I would tell him to find some way of fortifying his strength," replied the potions master, a flicker of amusement running across his face.

Galt looked flabbergasted. "But… To do so is only to allow them to continue in their parasitic ways. It is sanction of the victim in the highest order!"

"Are you suggesting that attempting to bear one's burdens is a sin of commission?" Snape asked.

The caretaker was indignant. "It is not something we, the movers, the motive power of the world, owe to the world. We do not owe them anything—we swear not to work for the benefit of anyone else—"

Snape looked momentarily upset, and then a cold miasma settled in his eyes. He set his mouth in an indignant line and spat at Galt, "_Crucio._"

Dagny Taggart gasped, and Hermione stared angrily at the professor. "Sir," she said, "that's an Unforgivable."

He turned to her, with a haunted look on his face. "I know that, Miss Granger. Do you not realize that I am a Death Eater—an ex-Death Eater?"

Miss Taggart was struck dumb by the pronouncement, but Hermione gasped and spluttered, "You could go to Azkaban!"

He raised an eyebrow as if he were amused, although Galt was still writhing, trembling against the curse and the excruciating pain inflicted on him. "Do you imply that you wish for me not to go to Azkaban?"

Galt, gritting his teeth against the torture, and leaning heavily on a crate in a kneeling position, ground out "Do. Not. Do. It. Miss Granger. You. Have. No obligation. To him." Snape glared at the man, released the curse and then cast a spell Hermione had never heard of. Whatever it did, it apparently made it difficult for Galt to speak.

"Ironic, isn't it, Galt, you who exalt the self above all else, kneeling, as if to _pray_!" Snape pronounced sourly.

Galt spat indignantly and, with some difficulty, spoke. "Miss Taggart thought you were a decent man, but she is blinded by her feelings."

The professor's lip curled. "I thought you exalted the individual above all else, and reason as well." He paused to look at the two females—Dagny had apparently steeled herself against whatever might happen, but Hermione was studying the two men curiously. "Well, Galt," he resumed scathingly, "Reason states that men are subject to emotion, and you seem to, unlike a certain television character who also exalts logic, support their acting upon their desires, even, and perhaps especially, the basest desires."

"You… you looter!" Galt spat, and rose, shivering indignantly. "Miss Taggart has sworn, like the rest of us, to never work only for the good of others."

"Oh?" asked the Potions Master caustically. "So you serve no _greater_ good?"

The other man was flushed with rage. "Most certainly not!" exclaimed he.

Snape laughed in response, coldly, derisively.

"You don't work for good?" Hermione asked of either of the two men.

"Evil, my dear girl, is often committed in the name of good." John Galt replied, unbuttoning his shirt, his strapping figure contrasting with the Slytherin's shrouded form.

"Indeed it is. How often I have heard megalomaniacs speak of the greater good when they refer only to murder of those they think below them." He spoke almost uncharacteristically lightly, as if attempting to purposely infuriate Galt with his nonchalance.

"And yet you think we ought to serve a 'good'!" exclaimed the charismatic yet enigmatic stranger.

"I… have looked the devil in the face, Galt, and, believe me, there are moral absolutes in this world. And, though I am ill-suited to speak of it, I must say that there is no greater good than the love of one's fellow men." The satin voice, carefully metered, grew softer as he spoke, and when he had finished the intense statement, he glimpsed Hermione's presence, and blanched. The Gryffindor could guess at his reasons—such a private part of himself reveled in such embarrassing manner. The teacher seated himself at his desk, and, folding his hands, rested his head upon them, closing his eyes, as if the pronouncement had exhausted his reserves.

"Hah!" laughed the other man coldly. "So claim the looters! I wouldn't have pegged you for one, but it seems you are!" He cast a cold, despairing glare on the women and then stormed out of the office.

Dagny looked at the professor and nodded cautiously. She spoke slowly, "I think perhaps you are a wiser man than he, Professor."

"Oh," he said, returning to his sarcastically witty persona though still visibly shaken, "is that right, Miss Taggart?"

She ignored Snape, looking almost absently out at the space from which Galt had recently departed. "You know," she said, as if to herself, "they lied."

"Who?" Hermione couldn't help asking.

Dagny Taggart turned to the two wizards and gave a small smile "They told me it was _right_ to work for none but myself, and I think that is unwise. The strong must stand up for the weak, else who else will? But their fault lies in failing to realize that it is not the intention that is evil, but the execution."

"Means ends, Miss Taggart?

She looked at him and openly smiled, although it was now clearer than ever that running a railroad had been more than a bit stressful on her, "You especially ought to know that only a good means to a good end is worthwhile, professor."

_TBC…_


End file.
